Archives for July 2018

Female Genital Mutilation – Angela Peabody

(July 30, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Angela Peabody, Executive Director of the Global Women’s P.E.A.C.E. Foundation (GWPF) about her work to help eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This practice is very common amongst those of Somali, Liberian and Ethiopian decent. Although culturally accepted amongst many in these communities, this practice is a barbaric abuse and is now a class two felony in Virginia as of July 1, 2018.

Over the past several years Angela has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of this issue. FGM is a widely accepted practice that is devastating to the women who have suffered from this abuse. Based on the Population Reference Bureau’s estimate, there are approximately 513,000 women who are affected by this practice in the United States, with over 30,000 of these women residing here in the Washington DC metro area. Working together with Sen. Richard Black, Peabody was pleased to see the General Assembly pass the bill this year criminalizing this practice.

The Global Women’s Peace Foundation has two major goals with its work in this arena. First they aim to prevent any woman or child from having to be subject to the horrific and life altering practice. Second, they aim to educate communities, schools and the medical profession about the practice of FGM, who is at risk, and how to understand warning signs.

The abusive practice of FGM, where girls and young women suffer from the forceful amputation of their clitoris, is barbaric. Peabody points out that there is no religious justification for this in Christianity, Islam or Judaism. It is simply a culturally accepted practice in certain cultures. Catherine speaks with FA Cole, a brave survivor who has undergone reconstructive surgery thanks to the Global Women’s P.E.A.C.E. Foundation. She shares the painful details of her story, which to this day brings her to tears. She is thankful to have found Angela, and for the emotional and monetary help and support that both she and the organization have provided so FA could regain her life, and try to move on.

Angela notes that raising the profile of this practice through education is very important. She recently gave a presentation about FGM at a local church in Springfield, VA, after which a woman approached her and shared a story. She spoke about a young girl in her neighborhood who recently ran out of the house screaming that her father was trying to do this to her. The neighbors called the police, after the father came running out of the house with a knife, and trying to force her to come home. When the police arrived, they did not understand anything about this practice.

Since that time, Angela has not been out to speak with Loudoun County (VA), Fairfax County (VA) and Montgomery County (MD) police forces to educate them about FGM. She has also spoken at the FBI, and aims to work in conjunction with the medical community and educators so they can recognize warning signs. These presentations are being done to help protect these girls and young women. Those most at risk are between the ages of five and fifteen years old.

The Global Women’s P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is having their fifth annual fundraiser walk on October 27^th in Washington, DC. This year they will also have walks in sister cities to help raise money and awareness. The group aims to increase support services for survivors, including counseling, job search assistance and the opportunity for survivors to seek asylum if they are not already citizens.

by Rachel Simon

Rob Paine – Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)

(July 25, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Rob Paine, Director of Marketing and Outreach for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), which is run through Volunteer Fairfax. RSVP is American’s largest volunteer network for people aged 55 and older. In Northern Virginia, RSVP volunteers are making an impact by growing the capacity of public and nonprofit agencies in and around Fairfax County, Arlington County and the City of Alexandria.

RSVP is a federal government program that works in conjunction with localities to offer qualified volunteer opportunities to seniors. There are five basic areas that RSVP focuses on: veterans and military support, aging in place support for seniors, the environment, those who are food insecure, and help and support with financial literacy. RSVP works locally with over 30 organizations that have been vetted to meet the goals of the organization, and fit the requirements for their government grant.

Volunteer Fairfax offers a variety of ways for seniors to get involved. Paine notes that there are meet and greet luncheons, an online option to reach out to the organization as well as simply calling on the phone and speaking with their Volunteer Coordinator Carly Hubicki. Carly is extremely knowledgeable and works hard to make sure that the volunteers are getting placed in jobs that are a good fit. And, Paine mentions, if a volunteer job winds up not working out, Carly will work hard to find a suitable alternative so seniors can remain engaged n the community.

Paine believes strongly that we as a community need to understand how much seniors have to give to the community. These individuals have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, and are excited to give back. A recent study showed that a majority of seniors said that they get more out of volunteering, than the people who they are helping. Volunteering is also an important opportunity for social interactions between seniors, especially those who are living alone. The connections that they forge through volunteer work, along with the pride they take in the work that they are doing, can greatly enrich their life.

The marquis event for RSVP this fall is the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics, being held September 15-26 throughout the area. There will be 60 events in 28 locations, and there will be a need for over 100 volunteers to keep everything running smoothly throughout the course of the two weeks. There will be opportunities to learn more about the RSVP program at the following lunch and learn events:

July 31 at 10:30 in Alexandria
August 2^nd at 11am in Fairfax (Bocce lunch and learn)
August 9^th at 3:30pm in Vienna
August 14^th at 10:30am in Arlington

More information can be found on their website, or by simply calling the office at 703-403-5360.

by Rachel Simon

Krista Gauthier – Sliding Doors Squared

(July 18, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with Krista Gauthier who is the founder of Sliding Doors Squared, an enrichment program for children with dyslexia. Studies have shown that children with dyslexia excel in STEM related curriculum and careers, so Gathier’s program focuses on reading tutoring and STEM enrichment to help these students excel. Unfortunately, many dyslexic students go undiagnosed, and because they have a barrier to learning how to read they are not encouraged to explore and engage with other content. Sliding Doors Squared is designed to help these students realize their potential.

Gauthier has a background in teaching, so when her daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia she was thrown into a whole new world in the education subculture. She quickly learned that there are not many resources for parents of children who have dyslexia. If a child is diagnosed, it is very expensive to seek the necessary early intervention to keep students on track. One year ago, Gauthier embarked on a journey to bring much needed resources to the community. Together with her daughter’s reading tutor Joyce Maryanopolis, they founded Sliding Doors Squared (SD2). This program is currently offered at St. Bernadette Catholic School in Springfield as an after-school program, and they are looking to expand to another location in the Reston/Herndon area this year.

Gauthier shares that 15-20% of the general population live with dyslexia, and 30-40% of engineers and scientists are dyslexic. She also notes that 48% of the prison population is identified as dyslexic. She believes if students are identified early and taught how to read in a way that their brain can process properly, then the students can move on and excel in school. The STEM aspect of the Sliding Doors program is designed to introduce kids to subjects like robotics and engineering. It also includes opportunities to meet area scientists on their monthly Science Saturdays field trips, many who have dyslexia themselves. This allows the students to see themselves in their role models, and understand first hand that they can achieve and succeed despite their challenges.

Most of the people who run the programming with Sliding Doors are volunteers. They must be trained in the evidence-based reading curriculum, and commit to a 2 year program with their students. Many of the volunteers are teachers themselves, who benefit from understanding how dyslexic children learn, which can improve how they approach student with similar challenges in their own classrooms.

Another key element of the Sliding Doors program includes networking opportunities for parents. As a parent herself, Gauthier realized how few opportunities there were to meet and speak with other parents, along with how difficult it was to seek out resources. As part of the Science Saturday programming, Sliding Doors often offers programming geared towards parents where they can attend workshops, learn about advocacy, or listen to speakers who can help them learn about how to best support their children.

by Rachel Simon

Sam Brinton – The Trevor Project

(July 16, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Sam Brinton, head of advocacy at The Trevor Project, an organization that supports LGBTQ youth through a crisis intervention and a suicide prevention lifeline. (Sam identifies as gender fluid and uses the pronouns they/them/theirs.)

The TrevorLifeline is a 24/7-support line accessible via voice or text, manned by thousands of trained volunteers nationwide. The creators of the Academy-Award winning short film TREVOR founded the Trevor Project in 1998 with the proceeds that they made from the film, when they realized that there was often no place for LGBTQ youth to turn to for support.

Brinton joined The Trevor Project as head of advocacy in October of 2017. Their chief job is to ensure that the organization is advancing policies and taking positions that help LGBTQ youth when in crisis. They themselves experienced a great amount of trauma in their youth when they attempted to come out to their family. Consequently, Sam is passionate about creating a safer world for the next generation. Their job covers working at the federal, state and local levels, as well as with the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

Sam Brinton DC Sam Brinton has an MS in Nuclear Engineering from MIT, work they still do on a consulting basis through Core Solutions Consulting. Their work at The Trevor Project is driven by the pressing need to provide a safer and more inclusive world for LGBTQ young people across the country. Their advocacy includes providing testimony at legislative hearings on both the federal and state level, sitting on panels and speaking at conferences to raise awareness of these issues, and writing for many publications on subjects related to the safety, mental health and the well being of LGBTQ young people.

The TrevorLifeline has provided a safe space for hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ youth in crises over the past 20 years. It is their longest running project and brings in thousands of volunteers who are trained to manage the calls and texts received on their crisis line. LGBTQ youth are 4-5x more likely to attempt suicide, and often have no one who they can talk to about what they are going through. The ability for them to reach out and speak with someone who can relate to them can literally save their life.

One of the newer initiatives that Brinton has taken on is advocating for legislation that outlaws the practice of conversion therapy. Sam himself is a conversion therapy survivor, and they feel passionately about making sure that others do not have to suffer the same fate. In 2014, Brinton was the first person to testify before the United Nations Committee Against Torture as a survivor of conversion therapy.

Born to Baptist Missionaries, their parents had strong feelings about their suspected sexual orientation, and Sam was subjected to some very cruel practices starting at the tender age of 11. Sam didn’t know any other people who were like them, and was very impressionable at such a young age. They were told horrible lies, such as the government had killed all of the gay children in America because they brought the AIDS virus to the country. They also suffered psychological torture such as placing their hands in ice-cold water (or extremely hot water) and showing images of men with other men, so they would have a negative association in his mind. Sam suffered greatly from this abuse, which led to a suicide attempt.

None of these practices are legitimate, nor are they scientifically proven be effective. Up to 300,000 children a year are put through these abuses. Brinton is working tirelessly to make these practices illegal in all 50 states through The Trevor Project’s 50 Bills 50 States Initiative. Over the past 5 years, they have had success limiting licensed therapists from practicing conversion therapy in 13 states. They have submitted legislation in 21 additional states, as they move toward their goal.

Here in Virginia, Sen. Scott Surovell and Del. Patrick Hope submitted HB-363 to outlaw conversion therapy. Unfortunately, the bill was defeated along party lines in committee. Additionally, Del. Betsy Carr and Del. Danica Roem introduced HJ-73, a proposal for a study to be conducted to evaluate causes of bullying and to evaluate work on suicide prevention. Again, this was killed in committee along party lines. If the Democrats are able to flip control of the Senate and House in 2019, a Democratic House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader would be able to assemble committees where these proposed bills would actually make it on to the floor of each chamber for a floor vote.

The other major program that Brinton is working on is promoting the Model School Policy for Suicide Prevention. It is a modular, adaptable document that will help educators and school administrators implement comprehensive suicide prevention policies in communities nationwide. This program is designed to make it easier for the school system to respond to suicidal behavior, as well as assess warning signs and intervene when appropriate to help prevent tragedies from happening. More information can be found online, including a one-page fact sheet, a full policy document, and a webinar to learn more about the program.

As suicide rates amongst teens is on the rise, Brinton encourages everyone to push their school districts to make sure that they have sound policies in place around suicide prevention. They also encourage everyone to contact their own legislators and tell them what bills you would like to see passed in the next legislative session. Additionally, The Trevor Project always welcomes volunteers who would like to be trained answer TrevorText and calls at the TervorLifeline.

You can find more information at www.TheTrevorProject.org, follow them on Twitter @TrevorProject and Sam @SBrinton.

by Rachel Simon

Ellen Graham – Cameron’s Coffee and Chocolates – Every1CanWork

(July 11, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Ellen Graham of Every1 Can Work and Cameron’s Coffee and Chocolates. Every1 Can Work is a non-profit dedicated to providing permanent employment opportunities for young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Over 84% of young adults with cognitive disabilities are unemployed, but not unemployable. Graham and her husband Jim founded Every1 Can Work because they wanted to change the narrative around this issue. If given the proper training and supervision, they believe that these young workers can succeed and fulfill their potential. They understand the importance of dignity and that having a job means more than just a paycheck; it means self-esteem and a purpose in life.

Graham found inspiration in her daughter Cameron’s love for baking so she and her husband Jim launched Cameron’s Coffee and Chocolates in October of 2013, the first business enterprise of the Every1 Can Work Foundation. When they opened their doors they had a small storefront in the city of Fairfax and sold hand-dipped chocolates. Five years later, they have grown to employ 20 workers; they have expanded their kitchen to offer a variety of baked goods, coffees and jams, and now even offer catering options. The goal of the Every1 Can Work Foundation is to earn enough money to pay their employees.

The store is run in a cooperative environment, where all of the employees learn to do all of the different jobs. Cross training is good for both the business and its employees, as workers can help one another, step into any task that needs to be done, while also providing variety in the day to day employee schedules. Glass windows look into the kitchen, so customers can see the work being done both there and in the chocolate room. They look to engage with their customers – you can like their Facebook page to and follow them on Twitter (@CameronsChoc) to see their daily specials.

Before opening their doors back in 2013, Ellen and Jim conducted quite a bit of research to learn about different models of what worked best for employing individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (IDD) and Developmental Delays (DD). They visited businesses in Richmond (Daylight Donuts), Charlottesville (Bread Works) and even traveled to Martha’s Vineyard to Chillmark Chocolates. They observed best practices, took away pieces of each business that made them successful, and used that knowledge when founding their own enterprise. The best piece of advice that Ellen received throughout the entire process was that no matter what you do, always make sure that you are producing a superior product, and to not assume that customers will patronize your store if you don’t deliver a superior product and client experience.

In the years since Every1 Can Work and Cameron’s Chocolates were founded, Graham has been an active member of the Workforce Development Board in Fairfax County. She advocates for opportunities for those who have intellectual challenges and for job coaches who are trained in the concept of cooperative parallel work. This type of job coach is trained to do the work side by side with the employee, being both a model and a co-worker. In the past, Ellen’s experience had been that job coaches would verbally direct the employees, but not do the work with them. Her observations are that when job coaches are working side by side with employees, the experience for the employees is much more positive and the work product improves. One of her goals it to work with the Workforce Development Board to create a certification program for job coaches that teaches the cooperative parallel work model.

by Rachel Simon

Joyce Connery – Surviving Breast Cancer – Kitchen Table Conversations

(July 6, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Joyce Connery on Kitchen Table Conversations for a candid discussion about surviving breast cancer. Ten years after her diagnosis, Joyce shares insights and observations about being both a cancer patient and a survivor.

Joyce received her diagnosis in 2006, when she was only 36 years old. At a routine physical, her doctor recommended that she get a mammogram done so it could be used as a baseline for the future. Joyce was surprised at the recommendation, considering she had no history of breast cancer in her family, but heeded her physician’s advice and went ahead with the scan. She was stunned when the doctor found something he was concerned about. After a biopsy indicated it was in fact cancer, Joyce and her husband had to absorb the difficult news and forge a path forward.

She immediately began to read as much as she could on the subject, so she could approach the challenge with her eyes wide open. Joyce soon realized that her diagnosis affected not only her, but also the people around her – family, friends and coworkers. It was difficult for her to accept the fact that she was not in control of her own destiny, not matter how hard to she tried to believe that she was. She read books and consulted with doctors, but what she learned was that there was no set answer of exactly how to move forward. Many of her treatment options had similar statistical outcomes, so she had to make the decisions that were right for her.

Joyce felt very fortunate that she had such a strong support network, many of whom offered to help her throughout her treatment. Friends and family brought food to her home, drove her to chemo treatments and provided moral support when she was down. Because she was very public about her diagnosis and treatment, she learned to accept help and support when she needed it most. With one in eight women in the United States being diagnosed with breast cancer, chances are that a friend, family member or coworker you know will receive a diagnosis. Each patient is may have different needs, so Joyce urges people to listen to their friends and family and provide support where and when it is needed most. She points out that there is no “cookie-cutter” scenario – everyone’s story is unique.

Joyce is happy to report that she has been cancer free (from the doctor’s perspective “no evidence of cancer”) for the past 10 years. Each milestone that is hit without a reoccurrence is another positive step forward. Thanks to better treatment options and earlier detection of the disease, many more women are surviving breast cancer and living full and happy lives. On the heels of finishing her chemotherapy treatments, Joyce decided to raise money for breast cancer treatment and research by participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – a two-day, 39.3-mile journey through the streets of DC. When her friends heard she was signed up for this challenge, many joined her to form “Team Joyce”. Surrounded by her strong support network, she completed the journey, and although still weak from treatment found solidarity and strength in accomplishing her goal.

by Rachel Simon

Gerald Poje – Affordable Housing Advisory Committee

(July 4, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Gerald Poje, member of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee in Fairfax County. As housing prices continue to climb, the ability for a low or middle-income family to afford housing in Fairfax county decreases. This advisory committee is dedicated to finding ways to increase the amount of affordable housing, while also taking into account the ability for people to live in the county throughout their entire life cycle.

Today in Fairfax County, there is a shortage of 31,000 affordable dwelling units. According to today’s statistics, a family of four pays on average $1700 per month for their housing, which requires an average family income of $70,000. There are many people in our county who do not make close to that income, and therefore cannot afford to live and work here in Fairfax. Or, alternatively, they are in a situation where they need to share a residence with other families or individuals in order to afford the rent. Poje is working with the advisory board to think outside the box, and challenge the status quo to bring forth much needed change.

Currently there are two agencies who manage work being done on affordable housing in Fairfax County. Both the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Fairfax County Redevelopment Housing Authority manage federal and state dollars that flow to the county for affordable housing, and focus on long term housing solutions for people coming out of homelessness. The advisory committee is helping to develop a strategic plan to guide their work as they plan for the future.

The strategic plan encompasses two critical phases. Over the past two years, phase one included soliciting input from community members and devising a comprehensive list of 25 low cost recommendations for the county to implement. Their goal is to integrate the community needs into a comprehensive plan that will allow the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Redevelopment Housing Authority to become more efficient, effective and strategic. They are also working with the Land Use and Zoning Boards to reimagine how some of the vacant commercial property around the county can be repurposed for the use of affordable dwelling units.

As the County works together with the business community to redesign existing spaces, Poje and the advisory board are urging them to think globally about the needs of the community, and to consider creative ideas of how to incorporate affordable housing into these newly designed spaces. Poje argues that the more people who are living and working in the community, the stronger the community will become. He strongly believes that people behave differently when they work and live in their own communities. They take more pride and are more committed to the community’s overall success.

Another key component of the committee’s work includes the consideration of those who want to stay in Fairfax County as they age. Today, there is a shortage of affordable options for those looking to retire and stay in their communities. The committee is looking to ensure that there are plenty of options for age appropriate, cost appropriate and size appropriate housing for people in all stages of their lives. This requires the ability to think ahead and imagine that the future may look different from what exists today, and to build for the changes that will be ahead.